We are going to have a hard time topping the 2014 NBA draft. Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Dante Exum and Joel Embiid gave us four credible choices at No. 1. Another five players looked like they could become potential All-Stars. Those kinds of drafts come along once in a decade. The 2015 draft doesn't appear to have a franchise-type player right now. There is no one guy to hang all of your hopes on. No one worthy of tanking the season over ... yet.But that doesn't mean it will be the 2013 NBA draft either. There is talent here. Lots of it. And for the first time in a while, much of the talent stands 6-foot-10 or taller. Big man Jahlil Okafor, a Duke recruit, will be atop our new 2015 Top 100.

The top 5 prospects

1. Jahlil Okafor | Duke

Okafor is 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-5 wingspan. He's already 270 pounds. He has great hands, a soft touch and amazing footwork for an 18-year-old. He's a rare, old-school, back-to-the-basket center. However, Okafor isn't a lock to go No. 1. He lacks elite athleticism and has struggled with conditioning issues at times. While the most optimistic scouts see a young Tim Duncan, Duncan was a better athlete than Okafor. A young Elton Brand might be a better comp.

2. Emmanuel Mudiay | SMU

Okafor's top competition for the No. 1 pick will come from Emmanuel Mudiay, a 6-foot-5 point guard committed to SMU -- the No. 2-ranked player on our Top 100. Mudiay has both size and elite athleticism for his position. He's quick, strong, is relentless at getting to the basket and finishes above the rim.His dominant play at the Nike Hoop Summit had many scouts predicting that he would eventually overtake Okafor as the No. 1 pick in the draft. Mudiay isn't a great shooter yet, can be turnover-prone and he's going to play for a head coach, Larry Brown, who is notoriously hard on young point guards (some scouts see that as a good thing). But if he really gets things going as a freshman, his upside could easily vault him over Okafor. If I were to rank the percentage of these two going No. 1 right now, it would be Okafor at 51 percent and Mudiay at 49 percent. It's that close.

3. Karl Towns Jr. | Kentucky

Towns has the size and agility to make a run at No. 1 -- if he gets minutes. Scouts compare him to a young, less volatile DeMarcus Cousins. Towns can score both inside and out and has been a favorite of scouts for the past couple of years. But he's going to a loaded Kentucky team that also has Willie Cauley-Stein and Dakari Johnson at center. Will he be able to get the minutes he needs to make his case for a top pick? Towns has more upside than either player, but lacks the experience.

4. Kristaps Porzingis | Latvia

Porzingis would have been a likely late lottery candidate in the 2014 draft. His surprise decision to withdraw from the draft immediately vaulted him into the top 5 in the 2015 draft. Standing at 6-11 and 220 pounds, Porzingis is very athletic, runs the floor like a guard and is a very good perimeter shooter with 3-point range. He needs to get stronger, hone his post game and get more meaningful minutes in Europe this year. But if he continues to develop, there's a lot to like there.

5. Myles Turner | Texas

Turner was the most controversial selection of the group. He's the No. 2-ranked player in the freshman class, according to ESPN. He's a true 7-footer with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and has excellent athletic abilities for his size. But he's by far the rawest prospect of the top 5. He's still more comfortable playing on the perimeter, lacks toughness and post moves, and can disappear in games.However, before jumping off the bandwagon, remember scouts said most of those same things about Andre Drummond coming out of high school. His lackluster play as a freshman dropped him to No. 9 in the 2012 draft. In retrospect, he should have gone No. 2. I've split the difference with Turner. As you get ready to dig into our initial 2015 Top 100, which will debut in a couple of weeks, here's a look at four themes for next year's draft:

Another elite freshman class

Freshmen continue to have a huge impact. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is trying to change that, but for now, one-and-dones are the true stars of the draft. In 2014, seven freshmen -- Wiggins, Parker, Embiid, Noah Vonleh, Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine went in the lottery. This year, we are projecting a potential record of eight freshmen -- Okafor, Mudiay, Towns, Turner, Kansas' Cliff Alexander and Kelly Oubre, Duke's Justise Winslow and Arizona's Stanley Johnson -- in the lottery.Four other freshmen -- Duke's Tyus Jones, North Carolina's Justin Jackson and Kentucky's Trey Lyles -- are possible first-rounders.

A solid sophomore and junior class

Harrell returns to Louisville in 2014-15, and could be a force in the big force in the draft.A small number of talented players decided to skip the 2014 draft and return to college. Just about everyone with a shot at the first round threw their hat into the ring. Only one returning college player -- Willie Cauley-Stein -- ended up cracking our top 10.However, there are a number of interesting returning players in this draft. We're projecting Louisville's Montrezl Harrell, Arizona's Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Florida's Chris Walker and Arkansas' Bobby Portis as potential lottery picks in 2014. Several other returning players including Kansas' Wayne Selden, Wisconsin's Sam Dekker, Wichita State's Ron Baker, LSU's Jordan Mickey and Jarell Martin, Cal's Jabari Bird, Michigan's Caris LeVert, Kentucky's Aaron Harrison and Andrew Harrison could all end up in the late lottery to mid-first round with excellent seasons.

A solid crop of international prospects

The 2014 international draft class was strong. However, just Australia's Dante Exum and Dario Saric heard their name called in the lottery. Another four international players -- Bosnia's Jusuf Nurkic, Brazil's Bruno Caboclo, Switzerland's Clint Capela and Serbia's Bogdan Bogdanovic -- cracked the first round.In 2015, the class doesn't look quite as deep -- but it's still good. We have two international prospects -- Porzingis and Croatia's Mario Hezonja -- ranked in the top 10. In addition, Spain's Marc Garcia and Guillem Vives, Senegal's Ilimane Diop and Moussa Diagne, Serbia's Nikola Milutinov and Denmark's Rasmus Larsen are potential first rounders.

Go Big or Go Home

In 2015, a whopping four centers make our top 10. In 2014, there were just two centers taken in the entire first round. We have eight players standing 6-foot-11 or taller in our top 30 this year. Big men always come at a premium, and the strength of the draft is clearly in the paint. This is also a great draft for small forwards. We have 10 small forwards currently listed in our top 30 this year. While it's possibly the least sexy position in the NBA, it's also one of the league's greatest needs.There will be a lot of teams on the hunt for a good wing. However, we have just five point guards and three shooting guards in the top 30. The point guard class in 2014 turned out to be pretty impressive. There were four point guards taken in the lottery (Exum, Marcus Smart, Elfrid Payton, Zach LaVine) and two others (Tyler Ennis and Shabazz Napier) who showed a ton of promise. This year, only one point guard, Mudiay, is ranked as a potential lottery pick.Unfortunately, the shooting guard class is worse. Selden is ranked as the top shooting guard in this class, and he's ranked just 16th overall. The 2014 draft was loaded with dynamic shooters. 2015? Not so much.Overall, the 2015 draft class is rounding out to be a pretty solid -- somewhere in the middle of 2014 and 2013. The bigs are the appeal, but there just isn't a lot of star power here outside of Mudiay. Luckily it can get better. You also have to factor in that some players that we're not talking about will rise -- they always do. Vonleh and Nik Stauskas weren't listed as lottery picks before 2013-14 season, for example. A few players always rise. As the camps and international tournaments get underway, look for further reports, including regular Big Boards, updates to the Top 100, Ford-Bilas and Ford-Pelton debates, mock drafts and more in our year-round draft coverage.

Top big men in the 2015 draftDuke center Jahlil Okafor enters season as early choice for No. 1 overall

Duke center Jahlil Okafor has received rave reviews for his play this offseason in Durham.With the college basketball season about to get underway, it's time to take a preseason look at the top NBA draft prospects by position.This season we start with the big men, clearly the most loaded position in this year's draft. Last season, there were just two centers taken in the entire first round -- Kansas' Joel Embiid and Bosnia's Jusuf Nurkic. There were another seven true power forwards taken.This year we are projecting up to six centers to be taken in the first round, along with another eight power forwards -- that's essentially half the first round. Seven of those players are projected as lottery picks.It's worth reminding college basketball fans that this list isn't a list of the best players in college by position -- it's the best NBA prospects. In many cases, those two lists don't exactly align.ESPN Insider spoke with a number of NBA GMs and scouts in an attempt to aggregate the rankings. Expect them to change as the season gets underway. We'll try to come back each month with an update.

1. Jahlil Okafor, C, Fr., DukeTop 100 rank: 1

Okafor has been the consensus No. 1 big man since he began his senior year of high school. Blessed with an NBA body, size (6-foot-11 in shoes with a huge 7-foot-5 wingspan) and a full array of big man skills, he's amazingly polished for someone so young and is expected to be the focal point of Duke's offense this season. The only real knock against him from an NBA standpoint is that he's not an elite athlete and typically plays below the rim. Scouts say he's looked amazing in scrimmages and practices for Duke. He has a real shot of being college basketball's Player of the Year.

2. Karl-Anthony Towns, F/C, Fr., KentuckyTop 100 rank: 2

Scouts have been very high on Towns since he participated in the Nike Hoop Summit at age 17 for the international team. He's gone on to wow scouts during a Kentucky trip to the Bahamas and at the NBA pro combine John Calipari put on in October. Not only does he look like the best pro prospect on UK, he should give Okafor a run for the No. 1 pick. While he's not quite as strong or polished as Okafor is in the post, Towns has a perimeter game, passing and ballhandling skills that make him very versatile. A team that needs more of a stretch 4 might consider Towns ahead of Okafor.

3. Kristaps Porzingis, F/C, 19 years old, LatviaTop 100 rank: 4

Last year Porzingis was a real mystery man -- a player who would've been drafted in the lottery based entirely on upside. But the longer scouts got to take a look at him this summer, the more convinced they are that he's the real thing. He, too, has the size to play both the 4 and the 5, is a terrific athlete and excels facing the basket. He needs to add strength and could use more experience, but Porzingis, if he were playing in college, would probably be in the conversation for the No. 1 pick.

4. Cliff Alexander, PF, Fr., KansasTop 100 rank: 7

Alexander has the body of an NBA All-Star. He's a terrific athlete that always plays in attack mode. The question for Alexander centers on basketball IQ. Unlike the first three guys on the list, Alexander plays almost exclusively off sheer athleticism and strength. He's going to have to pick up the nuances of the game to be an elite prospect at the next level. He reminds a lot of scouts of another former KU power forward, Thomas Robinson.

5. Myles Turner, C, Fr., TexasTop 100 rank: 9

Turner, on sheer upside, is right there with both Okafor and Towns. He's a versatile big man who can face the basket and protect the paint. His ability to knock down jumpers is especially appealing to scouts. But when compared to the four players ahead of him, Turner is the least NBA ready. He needs to add strength, improve his low-post game and just improve his overall toughness. He's the most polarizing of the prospects in the top 5. Some scouts absolutely love him, while others aren't sold that he'll be ready for the NBA after his freshman season.

6. Chris Walker, PF, So., FloridaTop 100 rank: 13

Walker is also difficult to place. He sat at No. 6 in last year's rankings, as well. He's the most athletic player on this list. The guy has Andrew Wiggins-esque hops. But he did almost nothing as a freshman, has had some off-the-court issues and it's unclear to scouts what position he'll play at Florida or in the pros. The physical tools are all there to be an elite NBA prospect, but Walker's game and maturity are going to have to catch up.

7. Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Jr., KentuckyTop 100 rank: 14

Cauley-Stein continued to show improvement as a sophomore, especially on the defensive end -- where he became an elite shot-blocker. He is incredibly quick and fluid for a player his size but still lacks the offensive polish or basketball IQ scouts are hoping to see. If he makes major strides as a junior, he could still be a top 10 pick. If he disappoints, a team may be unwilling to let it slide this year. You get only two years of being the upside guy. This season Cauley-Stein will have to produce.

8. Montrezl Harrell, PF, Jr., LouisvilleTop 100 rank: 16

Harrell has gotten dramatically better each season in college. Blessed with NBA strength, explosive leaping ability, long arms and a motor that won't quit when he's focused, Harrell can be a beast in the paint. He's a tad undersized for his position and isn't always locked in. He showed the semblance of a perimeter game this summer. If that can translate into the season, he too could end up moving up a few spots in the rankings.

9. Bobby Portis, PF, So., ArkansasTop 100 rank: 17

Portis quietly had a very good freshman season at Arkansas. While there isn't one thing he does that is especially great, Portis is a good finisher at the rim, is a good shot-blocker and showed off the ability to pick up assists. His lack of elite athleticism lowers his ceiling a bit, but most scouts expect him to have a breakout season at Arkansas.

10. Egemen Guven, PF, 18 years old, TurkeyTop 100 rank: 23

This skilled big man from Turkey took NBA scouts by storm this summer in the European Under-18 Championships. He's very skilled and drew comparisons to a young Pau Gasol. This ranking may end up being a bit low for him. If he continues to develop this season, he'll move up. He's the real sleeper among this group. The more he's scouted, the higher he'll likely rise.

Top wings in the 2015 draftKansas swingman Kelly Oubre enters season as possible top-5 pick

Kelly Oubre used an impressive summer to vault into lottery-pick consideration.With the college basketball season about to get underway, it's time to take a preseason look at the top NBA draft prospects by position.Last week we took a look at the bigs. This week we turn to the wings, where, again, there is a lot of talent -- especially at small forward.In fact, eight of my top 10 really qualify as full-time small forwards. In a league where shooting guard is a need for so many teams, the lack of 2s is a bit of a problem.It's worth reminding college basketball fans that this isn't a list of the best players in college by position; it's the best NBA prospects. In many cases, those two lists don't align precisely. Insider spoke with a number of NBA general managers and scouts in an attempt to aggregate the rankings. Expect them to change as the season progresses. We'll try to come back each month with an update.

Here are the top 10 wing prospects for 2015:

1. Kelly Oubre, G/F, Fr., KansasTop 100 Rank: 5

Oubre is using a terrific summer to push his stock into the top five. Blessed with deep range on his jump shot, terrific size for his position and elite athletic abilities, he's a very special talent. Improved decision-making and a midrange game are the things scouts will look for this season. He can be a gunslinger, and it remains to be seen whether head coach Bill Self can rein him in.

2. Stanley Johnson, G/F, Fr., ArizonaTop 100 Rank: 6

Johnson already has the body of a NBA veteran and plays with a toughness and motor that make him fun to watch. Johnson goes hard every night, but he must add a consistent perimeter game to be a star. That concern over his shooting ability means that some scouts have players like Kevon Looney and Mario Hezonja ranked higher. But if Johnson can put it all together this season? He could be a top-three draft pick.

3. Kevon Looney, SF, Fr., UCLATop 100: 8

Looney is a versatile forward who, at 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, has elite size for his position. He is athletic, plays inside and out and even played point guard for his high school team as a senior. You won't find a more versatile player in the draft. If he has a big season for UCLA, he could sneak into the top five. A lot of scouts believe he might be the second coming of Lamar Odom.

4. Mario Hezonja, SF, 19 years old, CroatiaTop 100 Rank: 10

Hezonja isn't your typical Euro wing. He's a terrific athlete who flies up and down the floor and can finish well above the rim. If he were getting any real playing time in Barcelona, he would've likely been a top-10 pick this past year. Scouts think he'll come out after this season regardless. There's so much raw talent that someone will be willing to wait.

5. R.J. Hunter, SG, Jr., Georgia StateTop 100 Rank: 13

Hunter quickly became everyone's sleeper this summer after a terrific performance at the LeBron James camp. He's not a sleeper anymore. Kevin Pelton has him ranked No. 1 on his board of returning college players, and virtually every GM I spoke with now has him ranked as a potential lottery candidate. He could be this year's Nik Stauskas.

6. Justise Winslow, SF, Fr., DukeTop 100 Rank: 15

Some scouts think Winslow is a lottery pick; others are concerned that he's really a short power forward trying to masquerade as a wing. I love Winslow's NBA-ready body, athleticism and toughness. He can defend multiple positions, which NBA teams love. Like so many players on this list, much of his success will hang on whether his jump shot is falling.

7. Sam Dekker, SF, Jr., WisconsinTop 100 Rank: 18

I've spilled a lot virtual ink on Dekker lately. The stat guys love him. He had a terrific summer. He's on one of the top three teams in the country. If his 3-point shot falls with more consistency this season, he's a lottery pick. Even if it doesn't, I think his toughness and versatility will land him somewhere in the first round.

8. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, G/F, So., ArizonaTop 100 Rank: 19

Hollis-Jefferson is in a tough spot. Had he decided to declare for the draft as a freshman, I think he could've been a late lottery pick. Instead, he got picked apart this summer by scouts, and with Robinson playing essentially the same position, there is skepticism that he'll be able to build on his freshman campaign. I wouldn't count him out. While he desperately needs to get a passable jump shot, Hollis-Jefferson brings so much energy and defense to the table that I think he can be one of the best players in college basketball this season.

9. Justin Jackson, G/F, Fr., North CarolinaTop 100 Rank: 20

North Carolina has a pair of elite freshman wings headed to Chapel Hill this fall, but it's Jackson who has NBA scouts salivating. He has great size for his position, has the potential to be one of the best shooters in the draft and plays with a great basketball IQ. He's not an elite athlete; if he were, he'd be a lottery pick. Jackson has enough talent to find a niche in the NBA anyway.

10. D'Angelo Russell, SG, Fr., Ohio StateTop 100 Rank: 21

A number of scouts think Russell could be a sleeper in this draft. Although he was ranked No. 13 overall in the ESPN 100 as a high school senior, he was the top-ranked shooting guard, and he's starting on a team in desperate need of scoring. Russell has the talent to live up to the hype. He has deep range on his jumper, and has the floor vision and passing skills to play some point. He needs to get stronger, but I wouldn't be shocked to see him in the lottery by midseason if he takes over this Buckeyes squad.

Top point guards in the 2015 draftDespite playing overseas, Emmanuel Mudiay is a potential No. 1 overall pick

With the college basketball season about to get underway, it's time to take a preseason look at the top NBA draft prospects by position.First we took a look at the bigs, then the wings. The point guard group is the weakest position in the draft this season; there's only one sure-fire lottery pick in the group. We are projecting just five point guards to be taken in the first round next summer.It's worth reminding college basketball fans that this isn't a ranking of the best players in college by position; rather, it's a ranking of the best NBA prospects. In many cases, those two ranks don't align precisely. Insider spoke with a number of NBA general managers and scouts in an attempt to aggregate the rankings. Expect them to change as the season progresses. We aim to come back each month with an update.

Here are the top 10 point guard prospects for 2015, along with some others to watch:

1. Emmanuel Mudiay, G, 18 years old, ChinaTop 100 rank: 3

Mudiay's decision to skip his freshman season at SMU and head to play professional ball in China raised a lot of eyebrows among NBA scouts. But so far, so good. Through his first five games, Mudiay is averaging 19.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists in 34.0 minutes per game, and is shooting 47 percent from 3-point range. He's doing all of this while averaging just 2.5 turnovers per game. While lots of players who couldn't make the cut in the NBA have inflated numbers in China, Mudiay's performance has been impressive for an 18-year-old. He especially wowed in his last game versus Qingdao, racking up a triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists with zero turnovers. If he keeps playing like this, he'll be a serious candidate for the No. 1 pick, especially if a team in need of a guard lands the top selection.

2. Terry Rozier, PG, So., LouisvilleTop 100 rank: 11

Rozier looks like one of the few candidates who could break into the lottery. We will see if his strong performance at the LeBron James Academy this summer spills over into the regular season. He's a very good athlete, is tough, gets rebounds and has the strength to get where he wants to on the floor. If he can improve as a finisher and as a jump-shooter, he'll garner a lot of interest in the late lottery to mid-first round.

3. Tyus Jones, PG, Fr., DukeTop 100 rank: 25

Jones was the second-highest-rated point guard in his recruiting class, but he's a completely different player than Mudiay. Mudiay relies on athleticism, power and size to do his damage. Jones has a more cerebral game. He's a pure point guard who sees the floor exceptionally well, and knows when to pass it and when to take the shot himself. If he was an elite athlete, he'd be much higher on our board. Still, if he has a big season at Duke -- and there are signs from Duke practices that he might -- he should be able to get higher than where he's currently slotted.

4. Ron Baker, G, Jr., Wichita StateTop 100 rank: 27

Scouts fell in love with Baker during Wichita State's run during his freshman season. He came back down to Earth a bit as a sophomore, but there are still a number of scouts who believe he can have a long career in the NBA. With Fred VanVleet running the show from the point, Baker plays off the ball at Wichita State, but many scouts think he could be a full-time point guard in the pros.

5. Delon Wright, G, Sr., UtahTop 100 rank: 31

Wright would likely be ranked 10 to 15 spots higher on our board if he was two years younger. He'll turn 23 before the draft, and scouts and analytics gurus alike always temper expectations when you have late bloomers performing well as they get older. Still, there's a lot to like about Wright. He has great size (6-foot-5) for his position, can see the floor and get to the line. He's not a great 3-point shooter, but there's lots of potential here.

6. E.C. Matthews, G, So., Rhode IslandTop 100 rank: 33

Matthews rocketed up the rankings this summer after a strong performance as a freshman and at the Adidas Nations tournament. While he's listed by some as a shooting guard, scouts find him particularly interesting as a 6-4 point guard. He's got a quick first step and can get where he wants to on the floor. He sees the floor well, and while he's not accomplished as a point guard yet, scouts saw enough at Nations to think he can make the transition. He'll have to not force the action as much and improve his ability to finish at the rim, but he's a potential first-round sleeper to watch.

7. Andrew Harrison, G, So., KentuckyTop 100 rank: 41

Harrison was projected as a lottery pick as a freshman, but his so-so season really torpedoed his stock. By all accounts, he's gotten better over the summer -- he's leaner, quicker and more patient. But he's got a lot of damage control to do, and it doesn't help that after Kentucky's pro day, most NBA scouts came away claiming that Tyler Ulis was the better point guard. Harrison has great size (6-6, 210) for his position, and if he can show more explosion and more accuracy as a shooter, someone will take a chance on him. However, he's going to need a great season to move back into lock status for the first round.

8. Marcus Paige, G, Jr., North CarolinaTop 100 rank: 42

Poll most college basketball writers and Paige comes out as the preseason favorite for best point guard in the country. Why is he ranked so low here? He lacks elite size for his position, and is more of a scoring point guard than a distributor. At just 6-foot and 175 pounds, his size raises some issues. He's going to have a big season, so it's just a matter of convincing scouts that there's enough there for him to be a contributor at the next level.

9. Kasey Hill, PG, So., FloridaTop 100 rank: 51

Hill was ranked as the top point guard in the elite high school Class of 2013, but played out of position for much of his freshman season at Florida. His speed and ability to see the floor make him interesting. He had a huge 10-assist game in the NCAA tournament against UCLA that caught the interest of scouts. Improving his jump shot will be key to where he lands in the draft. He shot just 14 percent from 3-point range last season.

10. Kenneth Smith, PG, Sr., Louisiana TechTop 100 rank: 54

Don't sleep on Smith. Several NBA scouts tried to entice him to declare for the draft last year, thinking he'd be a huge first-round steal. He's one of the purest point guards in the draft. He's a dynamic playmaker who makes everyone around him better. He'll need to show scouts he can score, at least a little bit, to crack the first round this year, but it's tough to find point guards who can run the show the way Smith can.